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A Pint Of Cider To Keep The Doctor Away
In the next few weeks 12 volunteers will each drink a pint of cider, while avoiding all other dietary sources of antioxidants, to give the research team a unique insight into how phenolics are absorbed and metabolised by humans. The research is part of a project funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the National Association of Cider Makers.
Serena Marks, who is leading the study, explains: "Previous research suggests there may be an association between phenolics and protection against some serious diseases, so we are trying to find out how we get phenolics from our diet. We know that apples are high in phenolics and our research shows that cider apples have a higher phenolic content than dessert apples".
The cider industry has long been interested in phenolics, because these compounds play an important role in the taste and colour of cider, but Marks hopes her research will show that phenolic levels also have a beneficial health role.........
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UK And US Companies Sold Mobile Phone Tapping
"We are appalled to learn that our phone calls with Vietnamese cyber-dissidents have been monitored with equipment provided by European and US companies," the press freedom organisation said. "Coming a year after it emerged that Yahoo! cooperates with the Chinese police, this new case reinforces our conviction that telecommunications companies must be forced to respect certain rules of ethical conduct. In particular, they should be banned from selling surveillance equipment to repressive governments".........
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Apple Announces Recall of Batteries
Name of Product: Rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries with cells manufactured by Sony for certain previous iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 notebook computers only.
Units: About 1.1 million battery packs (an additional 700,000 battery packs were sold outside the U.S.).
Battery Cell Manufacturer: Sony Energy Devices Corp., of Japan.
Computer Manufacturer: Apple Computer Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.
Hazard: These lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Apple has received nine reports of batteries overheating, including two reports of minor burns from handling overheated computers and other reports of minor property damage. No serious injuries were reported.
Description: The recalled lithium-ion batteries were used with the following computers: 12-inch iBook G4, 12-inch PowerBook G4 and 15-inch PowerBook G4. Consumers should remove the battery from the computer to view the model and serial numbers labeled on the bottom of the unit.........
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Hand-carved Kenyan iPod stand
SafariPod craftsmen make each object sold here to his own design. We determine the need for a specific type of product. say, an iPod stand. Then, we tell the artist what we need the object to do, and he then develops a design to his own taste and standard. Each of our artists have been sculpting native wildlife pieces for many years.........
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Fiberglass Mascots
From Tulsa to Tokyo and everywhere in between, feel free to post your photos of fiberglass mascots here.........
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Walking Cane Withtelescope 1920
The telescope comes in working condition and the view is very good. The hand carving applied is of high quality and the bronze collar as well as two gilt copper collars at the upper end of the shaft, match the overall appealing look perfectly.
This is a must-have for the dedicated collector of instrumental or system canes!
Walking sticks have existed since the first Homo sapiens picked up a branch to help himself over rough terrain or to use it as a weapon. Civilized men carried on the tradition. From royalty and their use of the scepter to religious leaders and their use of pastoral staffs designed to look like a shepherd's crook herding the believers, the walking stick has been an important symbolic accessory. Men in authority whether profane or religious have used the staff or walking stick as a symbol of their power at all times.
Some experts claim that the name "cane" arose from the fact that Cain, the son of Adam and Eve slew his brother Able with his staff thus "caining" him to death. In 1838 J. H. Ingram wrote in his essay on canes that in Roman times, dogs in great numbers have infested the streets of Rome. Because of this circumstance it became customary for pedestrians to go provided with stout birchen cudgels equipped at one end with a short, sharp pike to defend themselves against these animals. This cudgel was called "cani", the dative singular for "canis" which meant literally "for a dog." The plural of "canis" is "canes" and this is the precise denomination by which they are now known. The later non-historical use of the word cane arose from the fact that a number of of the sticks are canes in the botanical sense as rattan and bamboo. Malacca in the botanical sense is a cane too. Today the word continues to refer to exotic woods as well as to other materials.........
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What Can You Turn Me Into?
I specialize in vampires, skeletons, demons, and zombies, but I can try to do other types of creatures, as well.
Just let me know what you want to become and I'll do my best to bring your spooky fantasy to life (or death!).
WILL I LOOK MODERN OR "OLD-FASHIONED"?
This is really up to you. I can do it either way. I recently did a full-color photo of a person in modern clothes and it turned out quite well! Of course it helps greatly that the background was creepy looking, so I recommend you pose in front of something that will add atmosphere.........
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Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Hummingbird Hawkmoth (macroglossum stellatarum).
Spotted between showers yesterday in Cambridgeshire. Only the second time I've seen one of these. They really are like humming birds.........
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Armor Of God PJs
God gave me the idea how wonderful it would be if all children could have the opportunity to put on a pair of pajamas that symbolized the Armor of God for the same purpose.....that with their belief in Jesus and His protection they will feel safe and secure during the night as they sleep. As they dress in the mornings, they should replace them with the spiritual Armor of God to protect them in their daily activities.........
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Why are so many people dying on Everest?
It used to be thought that it would be physiologically impossible to climb Mount Everest with or without oxygen. In 1953 Hillary and Tenzing proved that it was possible to reach the summit with oxygen and in 1978 Messner and Habeler demonstrated it was possible without oxygen.
Although Everest has not changed, and we now have a better understanding of acclimatisation, improved climbing equipment, and established routes, it would therefore seem logical that climbing Everest might have become an altogether less deadly activity.
However, this year the unofficial body count on Mount Everest has reached 15, the most since the disaster of 1996 when 16 people died, eight in one night following an unexpected storm.
The death rate on Mount Everest has not changed over the years, with about one death for every 10 successful ascents. For anyone who reaches the summit, they have about a 1 in 20 chance of not making it down again.
So why are there so many people dying on Mount Everest? And more importantly, can we reduce this number?
The main reasons for people dying while climbing Mount Everest are injuries and exhaustion. However, there is also a large proportion of climbers who die from altitude related illness, specifically from high altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) and high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE).........
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